EFFIC
(Equipment for Free Form Interconnection of CIGS)
Jan Wemmenhove, PM Smit Ovens
Sunday 2014 event
Nov. 19th, 2014
Content
1.
2.
3.
4.
Brief company introduction
Brief introduction into CIGS panel production
Back-end interconnection process
Development status
Company introduction
General
Founded in 1936 in Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
Today, our headquarters are in Eindhoven
Background in display and glass
Including large area glass treatment
High temperature glass treatment (T>Tg)
Residual stress / deformation
Cost effective mass production
Continuous innovation with focus on
Yield improvement
Cost reduction
Company introduction
Solar market position
Leading position in thermal equipment
for TF solar panel production
Installed base of 110 systems in total
solar market
Supplied for > 4,3 GWp annual
production capacity
Development partner & reliable supplier
to all major TFPV manufacturers
Crystalline and thin film solar panel technologies
Crystalline
Fixed panel
Composed of multiple solar-cells, made
from silicon wafers (similar to microchips)
Used in most PV-systems
Based on Silicon (c-Si) or Gallium Arsenide
(GaAs)
Thin-film
Fixed (glass) or flexible thin sheet
Several thin layers which act as one big
solar-cell
Used in special applications and large plants
Based on Silicon (a-Si), Cadmium Telluride
(CdTe), Copper indium gallium
selenide (CIGS) or Organic materials
State of the art manufacturing of TFPV panels
Each manufacturer has a single standard, one size
only panel.
Standardized manufacturing lines are optimized for
lowest cost of this specific module ($/Wp).
For optimal panel performance cells (± 700 mV)
are formed & electrically interconnected in the
manufacturing line using lasers (in case of CIGS, a
mechanical scribe of P2 and P3 is very common) .
This one size/fits all approach is
OK for power plant / free field applications
Not ideal for building integrated (BIPV) applications
Disadvantages current production process.
Module output loss: IC zone does not contribute to
module output.
Production yield loss: material removal is source of
contamination for the subsequent TF deposition
processes.
Limited module customization.
EFFIC solution
Alternative approach structuring/interconnection
Instead of doing the interconnections as integral steps in the line it is
also possible to take a font end / back end approach
Front end would be the monolithic deposition of all funtional layers
Back end would be shaping, cell structuring, interconnection & lamination
Advantages back-end interconnection process
Higher conversion efficiency of TF PV modules due to lower output losses
in cell interconnection.
Lower CoO for module manufacturing , because back-end interconnection
reduces defect formation and increases the production yield.
More flexibility of the interconnection layout at the end of the production
process of PV modules.
Different interconnection technology required
Besides material removal by lasers it is also required to add materials:
isolators & conductors
To maintain flexibility
and large area precision
Inktjet printing is the
preferred deposition
method
Process development
ongoing.
Produzo tool
Main advantage of a front/back-end approach
Flexibility in size & shape is possible
Relatively large front end substrates (e.g. 1200 x 1200 mm)
Store these coated mother plates in N2 conditions
Mechanical sizing of these plates to a specific demand
Fast response to a market request, e.g. delivery < 7 days on site
Full shape freedom including triangles, rounded, circles, etc
Nesting programs to optimize material usage & cost
Cell structuring & interconnection scheme optimized by software for each
different module
Except for flexible cell structuring & interconnection no new
technologies required to implement this approach
Customer analysis
Potential customers/segments
Potential customers:
TF PV manufacturers (CIGS as well as Si, CdTe and on the longer term OPV).
PV development labs.
Suppliers of functionalized steel and glass, building and construction
materials (through their suppliers).
Potential future development: foundries taking producing customer/project
specific modules based on standard cell materials.
Segments:
BIPV (Building Integrated PV): PV systems incorporated in building elements.
BAPV (Building Added PV): PV systems added to existing buildings.
Supporting local PV panel manufacturing
The market approach
is different and supports
a local for local approach
Much more comparable to
e.g. double glazing
Good possibility to
allow for EU
manufacturing on
highly automated
production lines
State of development
of the product at the end of the project
Start of project:
TRL3: concept of back-end interconnecting labscale TF Si and CIGS cells has been proven.
Lab scale validation is still needed (TRL4).
End of project:
TRL6: Product demonstrated with extensive testing
on relevant PV modules of industrial CIGGS
manufacturer Nexcis (60x30 cm).
At project closure, the design will have been
upscaled to cover full market potential (60x120
cm).
Thank You
SMIT Ovens BV
Ekkersrijt 4302
5692 DH SON
The Netherlands
Visit us at
www.smitovens.com